Asthma

Understanding

Asthma is a long-term disease of the respiratory tract characterized by narrowing and inflammation of the airways. As a result, there is a sense of breathlessness and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms of asthma are chest pain, cough, and wheezing.
Respiratory tract asthma sufferers tend to be more sensitive than those who do not have it. That's why when the lungs of an asthmatic patient are irritated to one of the triggers, the respiratory muscles become stiff and the airways narrow. Some of the triggers include cigarette smoke, exposure to chemicals, animal fur, or even cold air.
WHO estimates about 235 million world population is asthmatic. According to data from Health Research Data Ministry of Health Indonesia 2013, people with asthma in Indonesia is 4.5 percent of the total population. The highest prevalence of asthma is in Central Sulawesi with 7.8 percent followed by Nusa Tenggara Timur 7.3 percent, DI Yogyakarta 6.9 percent and South Sulawesi 6.7 percent.
Asthma can attack anyone and can not be cured. However, proper handling can control attacks and sufferers can enjoy quality life.
If you have asthma since childhood, the symptoms may disappear in adolescence and reappear in adulthood. However, symptoms of asthma in the middle and heavy categories in childhood will tend to persist. Asthma can appear at any age, not necessarily from childhood.
Asthma is a chronic disease. If not handled properly then can be found effects on quality of life, among others:

• Easily tired
• Psychological problems such as depression
• Growth disorders in children
• Refractory asthma, severe asthma conditions despite already with the maximum use of therapy
• Failed to breath
• Lung damage

 

Diagnosis

To confirm the diagnosis of asthma, the doctor will conduct a series of tests. Starting from a patient interview by asking questions about perceived symptoms, such as when symptoms appear and their frequency, whether shortness of breath accompanied by chest pain, and family health history.
If the information obtained leads to asthma, doctors will then perform a physical examination and laboratory tests. The following are tests that doctors generally perform in the diagnosis of asthma:

• Spirometry The patient will be asked to take a deep breath and exhale it as quickly as possible into the spirometer tool. This test is intended to measure the lung performance based on the volume of air that the patient can breathe in one second and the total amount of air released.
  To determine the condition of the respiratory tract, the data obtained will be compared with the average measurement of healthy people of your age. The doctor may take the test twice; Before using the inhaler and after using the inhaler. If the test results after using a better inhaler, then most likely the patient did suffer from asthma.
  
• Peak Expiratory Flow Test This test is performed with the purpose of measuring the level of the gust of air. The doctor will ask you to exhale as quickly as possible into the peak flow meter (PFM) tool. The results will show how quickly you can breathe air from your lungs in one breath.
  Doctors can advise patients to purchase PFM for home use. Then you will be asked to test every day and record the results and when the test is done. This will provide accurate data to find out when asthma worsens.
  
• Other Asthma Tests In addition to the above two tests, some of the following tests may be needed to diagnose asthma or help detect other diseases. The test in question is:
  
  • Respiratory Response Test Examination is performed to determine the airway reaction if exposed to one of the triggers of asthma. You will be asked to inhale dry powder (mannitol), which is increased in number as the test progresses. Then you will exhale into the spirometer to see how high the rate of FEV1 and FVC changes after the trigger. If it goes down drastically, then most likely the patient has asthma.
    
  • Allergic examination The doctor will perform an allergy test to find out if asthma symptoms occur because of allergies to something. CT scan
    If the doctor suspects breathing difficulties not as a symptom of asthma but rather a lung infection or nasal cavity abnormality, then a CT scan will be performed.

 

Symptoms

Most people with asthma must have experienced difficulty breathing. Patients with severe conditions may even experience it more often. The main symptoms of asthma include wheezing (the sound produced by air as it passes through the narrowed breathing passages), the chest feels like it is squeezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
Indeed, these symptoms can be caused by many things but can be ascertained as asthma if:

• Frequent recurrence
• Symptoms feel more severe at midnight and early morning
• It seems to occur in response to an asthma trigger-such as excessive physical activity or exposure to allergens (such as animal fur) The symptoms of asthma worsen in a short time, known as an asthma attack. This can happen suddenly or gradually over several days. Symptoms of asthma attacks, among others:
• Wheezing, coughing, and chest feels like squeezing are getting heavier and more frequent
• The activity of eating, talking, and sleeping is disturbed by difficulty breathing
• Heart beat
• Drowsy, confused, tired, or dizzy
• Blue fingers or lips
• Fainting If you are already diagnosed with asthma, at the time of this asthma attack the inhaler relief will not help and the peak flow test results of respiration seen decreased quite drastically. See your doctor immediately for further treatment.

 

Treatment

Treatment of asthma has two goals, namely relieve symptoms and prevent symptoms of relapse. Of course, treatment should be adjusted to the results of doctor's diagnosis and condition of the patient.
The main treatment of asthma include:

• Avoiding triggers for symptoms
• Using a relieving inhaler-used to relieve short-term asthma symptoms by making the respiratory tract relax
• Use of preventative inhalers -use daily routine to reduce inflammation of the respiratory tract and prevent symptoms of asthma relapse
• Use of a preventive and relieving inhaler combination -used daily to prevent asthma symptoms and make the respiratory tract relaxed for longer periods

 
Asthma Handling Plan
Your doctor will guide you to create an individual asthma handling journal. In it there is information about the drugs consumed, how to monitor the condition, and what to do in case of asthma attack. Preferably, this treatment plan is reviewed at least once a year. If asthma symptoms worsen, the review should be done more often.
One of the information you should note in the journal is the result of peak flow meter checks. So, you will be advised to buy it. Thus, you can monitor the condition of asthma so as to predict asthma attacks and take the necessary handling steps.
 
Recommended asthma medicines
In addition to handling with inhalers, medications are sometimes also needed in a treatment plan, for example:

• Theophilline tablet . Generally, people with asthma are given this medicine to help dilate the respiratory tract by relaxing the muscles around it. Side effects of this drug include nausea, headache, vomiting, and stomach disorders.
• Tablet leukotriene receptor antagonist (montelukast) . Drugs taken once daily to prevent inflammation in the respiratory tract. These drugs are used to prevent asthma symptoms. Side effects include stomach upset or headache.

 
Oral steroids
If your asthma is still uncontrollable, your doctor may recommend taking a steroid tablet. This drug can relieve inflammation that occurs in the respiratory tract.
Lung specialists will monitor the use of this drug because if taken in the long term will have side effects on bone loss, hypertension, diabetes, weakened muscles, thinning skin, and increased appetite. The more serious side effects are cataract or glaucoma.
Usually the doctor will only give the drug for a short period of time as an additional drug handling another infection. Afterwards, the patient will return to the previous treatment plan.
 
Asthma Control
Although asthma can not be cured, but the sufferer can lead a quality life if doing the following:

• Recognize and avoid asthma triggers
• Recognize asthma attacks and treatment measures appropriately
• Use drugs given by doctors on a regular basis
• Pay attention to the condition of your airway

If the use of inhaler relief more frequently, consult a doctor. It could be that your treatment plan requires adjustment to the condition.

 

Cause

Asma has not known the cause. People with asthma have swelling and sensitive respiratory tract. When exposed to asthma trigger factors, the respiratory tract is more susceptible to narrowing and blocking mucus.
Here are some things that can trigger the symptoms of asthma:

• Infections, especially those associated with the upper airway such as flu
• Animal fur
• Cigarette smoke, air pollution
• Drugs, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen
• Excessive emotion, such as laughing out loud
• Food allergies, such as peanut allergies
• Stress
• Weather, including changes in air temperature, cold air, damp
• Damp or dusty indoor conditions
• Sports

Once the trigger is known, try to avoid it in order to control the symptoms of asthma. Risk Factors
Although the exact cause of asthma is unknown. However, there are some things that may increase your risk for the disease, including the following:

• Has a family history of asthma or atopic diseases such as eczema
• Has atopic condition
• Suffer from bronchitis
• Exposure to cigarette smoke in childhood
• Mothers smoke when they contain patients
• Born as a premature baby or low birth weight

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